Even Paul Walter Hauser Had the Same Doubts About ‘The Fantastic Four’ as Many MCU Fans and We Can’t Blame Him
The road to big-screen success hasn’t been smooth for Marvel’s super team, the Fantastic Four. Although their comic book legacy is undeniable, previous live-action adaptations haven’t quite captured their impact. The 2005 film and its sequel got mixed reactions from fans, and the 2015 reboot was a failure at the box office.
However, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has repeatedly shown that it has the ability to recover from the problems of franchises. As for now, fans can only hope that with the new The Fantastic Four movie in the process of production, Marvel will not mess up these great characters.
Paul Walter Hauser Was Hesitant to Join The Fantastic Four
However, the Fantastic Four’s troubled Hollywood history cannot be ignored, and not even the best cast in the world can escape the feeling of doubt. The star of Black Bird, Paul Walter Hauser, who was already an Emmy Award winner, was doubtful before accepting a role in the upcoming The Fantastic Four movie.
During the interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Hauser confessed that he was aware of previous disastrous attempts at the Fantastic Four before he decided to join director Matt Shakman.
Don’t think that didn’t weigh in as I was deciding whether or not to take the job. That movie has not fully been nailed just yet.
But I really do think the combination of the screenplay, and the department heads that are working on the film, and that classy cast of really exciting actors — some of them known for a long time, and some of them having a moment right now — [make me feel that] this movie is special, and it was something I wanted to be a part of.
Director of the upcoming The Fantastic Four Matt Shakman has previously worked with Hauser in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Hauser was excited to join him once again. After considering the details, Hauser was able to convince himself to join the cast due to the script, the great actors, and the department heads.
The Cast of The Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four movie has a stellar cast that includes Pedro Pascal as Mr. Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as The Thing. Making it even more exciting is the casting of Julia Garner as the Silver Surfer and Ralph Ineson as the devourer of the worlds, Galactus.
Despite this star-studded lineup, Paul Walter Hauser’s character remains unknown. Although the actor has been secretive about the details of his part, he has mentioned that it is a new and fresh character that is very much tied into the Fantastic Four universe.
In an interview with Screen Rant, he said,
I know what that question is leading to, which is the answer as to which character I’m to play. So all I can say is that I, in some iteration, am in the movie The Fantastic Four until I get fired or recast.
So I can’t say anything about the character I’m playing, but know that it is in the sort of lexicon and mythology of The Fantastic Four stories. And it’s a very distinct character that I’m excited to play and I’m kind of mapping out what I’m doing with that right now.
There are speculations that maybe Hauser plays Mole Man or the robot H. E. R. B. I. E. The Fantastic Four’s cinematic journey has been a series of near-misses. However, with The Fantastic Four movie coming closer and closer, fans can only hope that Marvel will get the characters right this time.
The Fantastic Four will be released in theaters on July 25, 2025.
